A Grim Reunion
by Spiran Summoner
Summary: What would happen if the Fayth never returned Tidus on the day Vegnagun fell? A lot can happen over the course of a year... Tidus x Yuna
1. Prologue

Well to everyone reading this, I'd like to welcome everyone to my first fic here!

A Grim Reunion takes place directly after the events of FFX-2, so get ready for the ride! There'll be angst and fluff galore, so enjoy!

In addition, I err… "borrowed" some of the lines from the original game in the beginning, so if you recognize it or it rings a bell, that's probably it.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything remotely connected to FFX or X-2 (except my Zanarkand Abes necklace…my precious…) However, I do enjoy using the characters for my own personal enjoyment. Dance puppets, dance!

**Prologue- Welcome Home?**

"Thanks." The Fayth said blandly, grateful to Yuna and the rest of the Gullwings for ridding Vegnagun from the Farplane.

"You're very welcome." Yuna said in her usual cheery tone. Yuna's main focus was not on the small Fayth child, however. Every few seconds her gaze shifted, carefully skimming every inch she could make out, just in case she could see…

"You heard it, didn't you?" the small Fayth asked, as if directly reading her mind. "You want to see him?" Yuna bit her lip, her body almost shaking with anxiousness.

"Him?" she asked. Yuna knew exactly who the small child was talking about, but she had to clarify, just to be sure.

"Yes." The Fayth replied with almost no signs of interest. "You want to walk together again?"

"Yes!" Yuna replied excitedly, trying her best to contain her happiness. The Fayth nodded.

"I can't promise anything, but we'll do what we can." Yuna stood there silently in disbelief as the Fayth slowly dimmed and faded from view. What could this mean? Could this truly mean that Tidus was coming home…for good? Was that even possible now that the Fayth were at rest?

"Wow...Does this mean what I think it does!" Rikku, Yuna's hyper-active cousin inquired, tearing Yuna away from her thoughts. Yuna was quiet for a moment, just staring up at the darkened Farplane sky, and then replied,

"I hope so Rikku, I really hope so."

The ride aboard the Celsius was filled with activity as usual, with the regular harmless joking between Brother and Rikku, who always seemed to be disagreeing over something. This time it was over Tidus' return.

"Don't you want Yuna to be happy?" Rikku asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Brother, who had let Buddy take over piloting, scoffed.

"Of course I do! But this Tidus guy is bad news! I can feel it!" he shouted emotionally in his broken Spiran speech. Rikku sighed and tossed her braids over her shoulder.

"Bad news? Tidus helped us defeat Sin! How can he be a bad person?" Brother snorted and looked away.

"Because I say so." Regaining his usual confidence he proclaimed, "And because I am the captain! He will not set foot on this ship as long as I am around!" And, to add emphasis, he thumped his chest soundly to show that the conversation was over.

Rikku sighed and shook her head, the beads in her hair clicking gently. She then paused for a moment to think. After a second with no answer, she asked,

"Hey…where is Yunie anyway?"

"Yuna went up on the deck—she said she needed to think." Came Paine's usual terse reply. There was a long pause which seemed to stretch on forever before Rikku huffed,

"Why is everyone so unhappy today? We just defeated one of the scariest machina's in all of Spira! We should be celebrating!" Her gaze shifted to Paine who just glared emotionlessly at her. Rikku slumped her shoulders in defeat and sighed.

"Fine you killjoys. I'll go bring Yunie back down here and we'll be back in Besaid before we know it!" Running off without another word, Rikku dashed to the elevator and headed up to the deck of the Celsius. There, she found her normally cheerful cousin sitting on the edge, her chin on her knees.

"Yunie…?" Rikku asked cautiously, taking a seat beside Yuna. Yuna didn't turn to look at Rikku and said,

"Is this really happening? It feels like some unrealistic dream…" Rikku grinned and threw her arm around her cousin's shoulder for support.

"Of course it's happening! The Fayth wouldn't have asked you about him if they couldn't bring him back." Yuna still didn't seem convinced. She simply continued to stare at the horizon as a light breeze passed over the deck.

"Yuna." Rikku spoke firmly. Yuna turned her head, shocked that Rikku would actual use her birth name.

"Tidus is coming home, the Fayth said so. He'll be there on the beach waiting for you," she started, waving her arms about in excitement,

"And you'll jump into his arms and everything will be okay again!" Yuna laughed at Rikku's antics and rose to her feet.

"You're right Rikku. I shouldn't have to worry about anything anymore! Spira is coming together, all threats that we know of are gone…so why should I be so worried?"

"That's the spirit!" Rikku cheered, pumping her fists in the air.

"All's well that end's well! Now come on, let's go back down—we'll be in Besaid soon." Rikku tugged at Yuna's hand, forcing her to join her back down at the bridge.

When Besaid was finally in sight, Yuna could barely contain her excitement. She found herself pacing up and down the bridge, her boots clanking lightly on the metal floors.

"We're at Besaid beach guys. Should I land here?" Buddy asked in his usual calm manner.

"Got that right! Land her Buddy!" Rikku cheered, barely able to contain her own excitement.

"Hey! I give the orders around here!" Brother snapped. Everyone aboard the Celsius turned to face Brother, waiting for his orders. His face grew beet red as her grumbled,

"…Land her." As the clouds began to thin and the golden beach of Besaid was visible, Yuna flew to the window, searching anxiously below for any signs of human life.

By the time the ship had landed safely in the water and everyone had filed out, Yuna had seen no signs of her lost love. Rikku herself began to become anxious when there didn't seem to be anyone around at all.

"Alright guys, let's go find Wakka and everyone else! I'm sure they already have some great big feast waiting for us!" The perky Al-Bhed cheered, leading the way up the sandy beach.

Everyone followed, but Yuna found herself bringing up the rear, scanning the area for anything—anything at all. Yuna tried to ease herself, figuring he had already found his way to Wakka, or was playing some sort of joke on her. She slightly grinned to herself, knowing that was certainly a possibility. Realizing that she had fallen behind, she jogged to catch up with her friends.

By the time they had gotten back to the village, Rikku was bragging about how she had been right. Besaid had gone out of its way to welcome their weary troop home, with a feast unlike anything Yuna had ever seen. It even topped the day Yuna and her guardians had defeated Sin, but Yuna simply assumed she had been so numb inside she didn't even know what was going on around her.

However, just being around her village home, the people she held so dear to her heart, she almost found it impossible to be down. The smell of roasting meat and fresh fruit reached her senses, reminding her that she was starving. A giant bonfire had been lit in the middle of the village, while it seemed that every citizen in the village had come to gather around it and celebrate. Even the priest of the local temple seemed to be enjoying himself. And yet, she continued to comb the crowd over and over again, just in case…

"Yuna!" Before Yuna could react, she was swept into a giant bear-hug from Wakka. When he finally released her (due to the fact Yuna could not breathe), Lulu was already in sight, Vidina in her arms.

"It's so good to see you back Yuna. I'm glad you're safe." Though Lulu came off to most as cold and distant, to Yuna she was like an older sister, like Wakka was her older brother. Being back with them had always made Yuna feel at ease.

"Yeah! We brought the whole village together to celebrate you guys coming home! It's not much, but I don't think it's too shabby either." Wakka grinned, bragging in pride as usual.

"It's great! Fanks Wakka." Rikku agreed, her mouth already crammed to the brim with food.

Yuna peered around again to see if she could spot his sunny golden hair in the midst of the group, and grew disheartened when she couldn't locate him. Her face twisted into worry as her stomach churned with uneasiness. Her chest constricted, panic and worry rising within it.

"Yuna? Are you alright?" Lulu asked concernedly, shifting Vidina's weight in her arms. Yuna snapped out of her trance and replied,

"No—nothing's wrong at all Lulu. Sorry I…kind of spaced out there for a second." Lulu raised an eyebrow, knowing in her heart that Yuna wasn't telling the truth. Rikku, sensing her cousin's sadness, chimed in,

"She's…just hungry! That's it! Come on Yuna, let's go get some food in you!" Rikku dragged her cousin over to where the buffet table was set up and forced her to sit. Yuna resisted and broke free of Rikku's grasp.

"I—I don't think I'm hungry Rikku. I'm going to be down by the beach if you want me." Without another word, she rose and left the village, shuffling down the path to the beach. Rikku, knowing it was best now for her cousin to be alone now, set off to find Wakka and Lulu to tell them just what exactly happened on the Farplane.

Yuna sat in the sand barefoot digging her toes into the sand, like she had done so many times as a child. She let her feet soak in the water, letting the waves lap at her feet. The stars shone brightly overhead, twinkling down on her with pity. Even as a child, when Yuna was faced with a problem, she would always travel down to the beach to sort out her thoughts. This time was no different as she sighed glumly, thinking to herself,

'_I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up like that. I know the Fayth are busy and want to rest again—but I just wanted to be with him again. I wanted things to be back to normal, like we when we were on my pilgrimage. Whenever I fell, he was always there to pick me up again…' _Yuna sighed fondly, remembering the days of her pilgrimage. Even though she was well aware of the fate that befell her, being around her friends and family made it so much easier to bear the weight of her burden as a summoner.

'_Still…it was selfish of me to ask for such a wish. I journey and journey and search and search for him, and I still come up with nothing in the end. Maybe I should just admit to myself he's not coming back…no matter how hard I try, I can never find him…maybe this is how it's supposed to be. Maybe…'_

Though gloomy and dejected, Yuna knew there was only one option left—one sure test to make sure Tidus had not returned. Placing her index and thumb to her mouth, like she had on that day in Luca two years ago, she blew. A shrill, piercing whistle came from her lips—so loud Yuna could have sworn the Ronso's in Mount Gagazet could have heard. She waited for an eternity and tried again. She tried four more times, and when it was clear no one was coming, she solemnly scooped up a handful of sand and watched as it slipped between her fingers until the last grain had disappeared from her hand.

Disheartened in not finding the answer she wanted to hear, she rose and dusted the wet clingy sand from her skin and clothes. She then followed the path back to the village, determined to have at least a little fun at the celebration.

Eeep…I'm really sorry if this wasn't too interesting, but there's more coming, I promise!

Feel free to review if it so pleases you.

However, all flames sent to me will be instantly extinguished by my buddy Shiva.

Spiran Summoner


	2. Chapter 1

Hello to everyone and anyone out there reading this! I'm back again with another chapter, so I hope you all enjoy it!

In addition, I would like to thank Sirea the Beautiful Disaster and final frost bite fantasy for their kind reviews. Thanks to both of you!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything remotely connected to FFX or X-2 (except my Zanarkand Abes necklace…my precious…) However, I do enjoy using the characters for my own personal enjoyment. Dance puppets, dance!

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**Chapter 1- Fall of the Farplane**

Tidus curiously wandered around Dream Zanarkand, his old residence. Though it felt great to be back home where he had spent his "childhood", something didn't seem right to him.

'_What's going on here? The Fayth should be resting—so why is Zanarkand still here?'_

He crossed a busy intersection and stared up at the towering machina-constructed buildings. In the distance, Tidus could see another crane-like machina lift a large bundle of equipment, helping a group of workers construct a new housing development. Neon lights of stores flashed around him, goading potential customers to come look inside. Almost bumping into a man in front of him, Tidus quickly dodged his way out of the crowd. There was only one place he could go now to be sure he wasn't dreaming.

'_If the houseboat is still here, then I know there's something wrong going on around here. I wonder if that means Auron and my old man are here too…'_

Though he had not been to his old home since Sin had attacked Zanarkand and Auron had pulled him into Spira, he still remembered the way clearly back to his old home. The houses and buildings began to thin as he found himself standing on the docks where his houseboat was currently floating. A few other boats surrounded it, bringing in tourists from other parts of Spira. Tidus cautiously boarded his boat and peered around, seeing no sign of anyone at all. He hesitantly opened the door and peered inside.

There, sitting on the couch, was his mother and father, huddled together. Yuna's father, Braska, and her Al-Bhed mother were facing him and the four were chatting quietly, Jecht occasionally raising his voice to get his point across. Auron was simply watching them, and though he wasn't speaking, he seemed a lot more content—much more at ease than usual. The five of them turned their heads to stare at Tidus. He sheepishly raised a hand in greeting.

"Well it's about time you got here boy. You'd think you'd remember the way home after living here 17 years." Jecht joked in his usual manner.

"Now Jecht, go easy on him. He found us, and that's the important thing." His mother lightly reprimanded her husband as Tidus came over and took a seat next to Auron. It was almost the same as it was when both his parents were still alive. Though he had always thought his father was a no-good deadbeat, it was almost comforting to have them back.

"Ahh, so this is the infamous Tidus? Jecht and Auron have told me a lot about you." Braska asked, lightly chuckling.

"Infamous? Don't you mean famous?" Tidus lightly retorted. Jecht threw back his head and laughed.

"That depends on how you look at it, doesn't it? You killed a Maester, threw the entire Yevon order out the window…do you want me to go on?" Tidus snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Though I must admit your methods are a tad unorthodox, you saved our beloved daughter…and I want to truly thank you for that." Tidus averted his eyes at the mention of Yuna's name.

"It was nothing…she made me her guardian and I had to do everything in my power to protect her. That's the guardian's code, isn't it?" Braska nodded wisely, turning to his wife beside him.

"A good answer, wouldn't you say Sienna?" The youthful Al-Bhed woman nodded in agreement.

"Not too bad, no. I'd say he's fairly worthy of our daughter." Tidus' ego got the better of him, and before he even knew what he was saying, he shot back,

"Fairly? What's that supposed to mean?" As soon as he realized what he was saying, he shut his trap. He then placed a hand on his chin in thought.

"Wait a second…how do you…" For the first time, Auron opened his mouth in a light laugh.

"Just because I was an Unsent, that doesn't mean I was blind. Your bond with Yuna was more than blatantly obvious." The young blonde boy shot Auron a sinister glare.

"And you told them?" Auron returned the glare with an amused smirk.

"Do you have something to hide?" Tidus grumbled. He hated how Auron always answered with a question. Tidus crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, refusing to let his mouth get him in anymore trouble.

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Atop the very highest point in all the Farplane, Seymour Guado sat calmly, listening to the moaning pyreflies floating around him. Waterfalls surged all around him, the sound almost deafening to a normal human's ears. He had stayed in that very spot for two whole years, gathering his energy, focusing all of it upon his fury and hate for Spira. Now that Sin was long gone and Spira had been freed of its clutches, he could no longer shape it to his desire.

But, Seymour thought, if he could not rule Spira, he would make the best he could with the Farplane, determined to bring it to ruin. Seymour knew he had to act fast—word had been whispered through the pyreflies that the young boy from Zanarkand was about to be revived and after that the Fayth were going back to their rest. Knowing he had little to no time remaining, he focused his mind yet again on the anger and resentment and watched.

The pyreflies that made up his body began to swirl violently around him, wailing fiercely. He concentrated on his feeling of pure rage and finally watched what he had tried to accomplish for two entire years.

The pyreflies stopped for an instant and slowly began to change. Instead of their usual rainbow and white colors, they slowly changed into an ominous black. Seymour grinned and held out his hand while a now-blacked pyrefly floated across his palm.

He closed his eyes and concentrated again, letting his darkened pyreflies spread across the surrounding area. Slowly but surely, the sound of the waterfalls around him began to soften, as the water began to disappear into thin air. The once-powerful surging was now a pathetic trickle. Seymour grinned and opened his eyes to see the cascades had now completely dried up.

Marveling around at his cataclysmal creation, he began his decent down the now-craggy cliffs, spreading his dark pyreflies around him as he went. On top of his small perch, he had not encountered another spirit for two whole years, but as he approached the flowery fields of the Farplane, he began to see them again—wandering by the hundreds. Smirking to himself, he let his darkened pyreflies roam, watching as the glorious red and orange flowers of the field wilt and crumble around him. The spirits glanced all around them, startled at such a sudden change.

Seymour then plucked a still-red flower from the earth and held it to his nose (despite the fact he could no longer smell). He then watched in amusement as it blackened and disintegrated in his hand. A group of spirits had surrounded the former Maester, wondering what he could be up to.

The spirit of a lone Crusader then stepped forward, glaring angrily at Seymour.

"You! Seymour Guado! What in Yevon's name do you think you're doing?" Seymour turned his head to meet with the eyes of the young Crusader. He stepped forward to get closer to him and responded,

"Hmm…do I know you from somewhere?" Seymour took a moment to think before it came to him.

"Ahh yes. I recall now—you're Luzzu, aren't you? You fell to Sin during Operation Mi'ihen, am I correct?"

"And if I am? This isn't about who I am Seymour! You're going to destroy the Farplane if you continue this insanity!" Seymour chuckled.

"That would be tragic now, wouldn't it? Hmm…you were a Crusader, weren't you Luzzu? You must have been awfully dedicated to Spira if you decided to become one."

"Seymour! Stop fooling around and stop this!"

"Let's see now Luzzu…I'll tell you what. I'll let you go back to your beloved Spira, free of charge." Luzzu flinched, slightly startled at the former Maester's statement.

"There's a catch. I know there is. A slimy Guado like you has to be planning something." Seymour scowled and stepped closer to the Crusader.

"That was uncalled for, don't you think? We Guado are actually quite cleaner than most other races. Much more than those Ronso's, eh?" Seymour brushed a long lock of azure hair from his face and continued,

"But I think you'd enjoy another chance back in Spira. I'm sure you family would love to have you back…so here goes nothing." Seymour, finally in arm's length of Luzzu, stretched out his hand and placed it on Luzzu's forehead. His sharp fingernails came in contact with his skin as Seymour summoned all the black pyreflies he could around him and focused them into Luzzu.

Luzzu's own pyreflies jumped into action, fighting with Seymour's. The two sets of pyreflies waged their own small war, screeching and wailing furiously. Seymour could see Luzzu begin to weaken as Luzzu's own pyreflies began to disappear and leave. Seymour grinned and focused even more pyreflies around him, until Luzzu had completely run out of strength.

He fell to his knees, holding his head and screaming. Black pyreflies surrounded him until they dispersed, and Luzzu was no longer there. Seymour 'tsk'ed and faced the open-mouthed crowd of spirits that faced him.

"Well? Who's next?"

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Tidus had never realized how much he had missed his parents until he was with the two of them again. Even though Jecht was still old Jecht, Tidus noticed that he had in fact changed. He still joked around with Tidus, but it no longer sounded too hurtful to him, and Jecht had almost become…gentler, if that was even possible. His mother had always been kind to him, but she seemed so much happier, instead of miserable as he had remembered her after his father had left.

Braska and Sienna had stepped out on the deck to get some fresh air and Auron had left to go home only a few minutes before. Tidus was about to step out for a walk when he felt another presence in the room. Both he and his parents turned to see the young Fayth of Bahamut before him. Tidus leapt to his feet, his mind racing with questions.

"I knew something was wrong! Why are we in Dream Zanarkand? Aren't you supposed to be asleep? What's going on?" Questions flew from Tidus' mouth that had been on his mind all day. Though the spirit appeared to be stoic most of the time, he actually chuckled for once.

"Well we could go back to sleep if you wished, but under a very special request, we're going to let you go back to Spira if you want. Then we'll rest again and Dream Zanarkand will once more cease to exist."

"Aww man, I was just gettin' comfy here again." Jecht grumbled under his breath. Tidus avoided his comment.

"You're kidding me. You have to be. …Can I really go back to Spira?" The small Fayth shrugged, though it was obvious he was enjoying this.

"Only if you want to." Tidus wanted to throw his arms up and cheer like Rikku would have done just then, but resisted the temptation.

"I would like to go back. I really would." He grinned, unable to hide his excitement.

"Can I ask who's request this was?" He asked, though he already had a feeling who.

"Her name was Yuna. I believe you remember her?" Tidus nodded, smiling from ear to ear. However, he felt a twinge of doubt at the thought of leaving his parents. He turned he head to stare at them.

"Leaving us so soon? But we were just gettin' to be friends again." His father joked, but shooed him away.

"Go back to your girl son. Your time's not up there yet. Your mother and I belong here now, so don't even think of bringing us with you." Tidus sighed and agreed, sadly accepting the fact.

"And uh…we're proud of you." Jecht grumbled under his breath. Tidus smirked, hearing exactly what he said. He dramatically placed his hand to his ear.

"What? I'm afraid I didn't hear you Dad. Say it again please?" Jecht grunted and turned his head away.

"You heard me the first time boy. Now get out of here." Tidus walked over and embraced his mother, then turned to his father and shook his hand.

"I'll be back you guys. Sure, it might be about 70 or 80 years from now, but I'll be back eventually." He gave them his famous sunny grin and turned back to the Fayth.

"I'm ready. Please, bring me back to Spira." Bahamut gave a curt nod and held his arms out in preparation for his revival.

However, before the small Fayth could even begin, a loud scream interrupted them. The Fayth stopped, peering around for the source of the voice. The scream echoed again, followed by several others.

"What's happening?" the Fayth asked, more to himself than anything. The houseboat that Tidus and his parents were currently in began to fade as nothing but a wasteland replaced it.

The ground was dull and dead as if it had been set ablaze and nothing was left. Crags of rock surrounded them, but they were dull as well with no pigment to them whatsoever. If Tidus did not see the screaming spirits and lamenting pyreflies all around him, he would have guessed this was some sort of demented area of the Thunder Plains, not the Farplane.

"The Farplane!" The Fayth cried running ahead and dropping to the ground. He scooped up a handful of earth, which slipped though his fingers and fell back onto the ground. Tidus jogged over to a nearby spirit who was holding his head and yelling in pain. He then watched as the spirits pyreflies vanished—as did the spirit himself. Even Tidus gradually began to feel a sharp pain in his head, like an out-of-control migraine.

"What's going on?" Tidus asked, beginning to panic slightly.

"I'll be glad to inform you if you wish to know." Tidus stopped in his tracks. He knew that voice.

"Seymour!" Tidus yelled, turning to face the apparition.

"Well? I'm sure you're very curious how the Farplane got into such a state, hmm?" The small Fayth child came running into him, fearlessly grabbing his robes despite the face that he was only up to Seymour's waist.

"Tell me you monster! What have you done?" The Guado emotionlessly pushed the small Fayth off him with a clawed hand. Bahamut fell to the ground and glared up at Seymour.

"That's the second insult today…I wonder why? I just spruced up the place a little. Don't you think it looks much better than before?"

"To your psychotic tastes it might Seymour." Tidus growled, shaking off the dizziness that began to engulf him. Seymour shook his head.

"Well I apologize if you don't share my…taste in surroundings, but I should hardly be reprimanded for that, correct?" The Fayth got up shakily and glared at Seymour from underneath his hood. His small fists trembled with anger and fury.

"You deranged fiend. Tell me what's going on. Now."

"Oh all right." The Guado sighed forlornly and began,

"For two long years I have cut myself off from all forms of other spirits, gathering all my negative energy and focusing them into my physical pyreflies. These "negative energy" pyreflies are much more destructive and powerful than any normal pyrefly, so much so that they can even change the environment around them if enough of them spread and gather."

"Now, as for the spirits around me," Seymour motioned with a wide sweep of his hand the large amount of wailing spirits disappearing and reappearing on the Farplane.

"There are two ways I can send a spirit back to Spira in a physical form. The first being by contact. I only reserve that method for those especially pesky spirits that might have stronger pyreflies than a normal spirit—like that Luzzu fellow I sent back today."

"However, what you see around you is the easiest method for me. Enough of my "negative energy" pyreflies have gathered around the Farplane, as you can clearly see. They're infectious little things. They've clouded up the atmosphere so badly that any spirit weak enough will be instantly sent back to Spira. Even to you boy, I'm sure have already felt the effects of this poisonous atmosphere—that is no normal headache you're experiencing _Sir_ Tidus." Seymour's voice practically dripped with sarcasm, using the general "sir" term used for guardians. At this point, Tidus had to interrupt.

"You keep saying they go "back to Spira". Why would you want them to go back in a physical form? I'm pretty sure you haven't changed into some devoted benevolent person since the last time we met."

"Ahh, that's because my young nemesis, they do not have a normal human body as you might think. Yes, they have a body, but it is the body of a fiend. Not even their most precious loved ones will be able to recognize the body of a fiend. And even better yet, they don't even have control of their body anymore. Yes, these spirits are nothing more than mindless pawns, creating paths of destruction as they go." Seymour's voice began to get louder as Tidus could easily see his deranged excitement in the plot he created.

"And, when they are slain? They return to the Farplane of course, common knowledge to any Spiran. But when they return, they are overcome by my poisonous pyreflies and the cycle begins again! Here…let's watch my beloved cycle in action."

Seymour held his arms out in victory, and gestured to a cluster of pyreflies that had appeared above them. They then solidified into a shape of a figure.

"Biran Ronso!" Tidus exclaimed, surprised to see Kimahri's older brother here of all places. Seymour placed an elongated finger to his lips.

"Shh…this is the fun part."

Before Biran could even realize what was going on, he began to wobble on his feet. He struggled to keep his balance before he finally tumbled to the ground, cradling his head in his large blue paws. He let out a deafening roar while negative pyreflies began to engulf him and take over his body. In less than a moment's time, he was covered in the floating menaces and when they cleared, Biran was no longer there. Seymour turned to face them again, ending his demonstration.

"Yes—you and your little friends might have been able to stop the vicious cycle that tore Spira apart, but I have created an even stronger one! The Farplane is helpless against my power!" By this time, Tidus had had enough.

"Seymour! What business do you have with the Farplane? Restless souls are supposed to be at peace here! You have no right to torment them like this!" Seymour turned and stepped closer to Tidus—within reaching range.

"I'm afraid you have no say in the matter. You stole my bride and ruined my plans for Spira's future. You are in no condition to speak right now." Seymour angrily reached a hand out and seized Tidus' forehead. Negative pyreflies went straight to work, swirling around Tidus, attempting to corrupt him.

The headache that Tidus had experienced before was nothing compared to this. It felt as if sharp needles were pushing out from inside his skull. He yelled in anguish as his own pyreflies swarmed around him, attempting to protect him from the assault. Tidus was able to hold himself together for a long time, but that only prolonged the pain that now emanated from every part of his body.

It felt like an eternity before his own body gave into the negative energy of Seymour's pyreflies. A flash of white light appeared before him, though Tidus was still able to hear Seymour's last words,

"My condolences if you kill your beloved Yuna on accident. At least there's an upside—if you do, you won't even know you're doing it! Goodbye my nemesis."

"Seymour!" Tidus growled angrily. In fact, it came out almost _too_ much like a growl.

Tidus could only watch in horror as a thin web-like layer began to grow in between his hands. His fingernails turned to claws, and his skin began to turn a rather bright shade of blue. His skin was no longer skin when it was replaced by small snake-like scales. Tidus only began to fear more when his legs merged together and was smoothed into a long, sinuous flipper/tail. Gradually, Tidus grabbed at his neck to feel a long set of slits in his throat—no doubt they were gills. The final part of his fiendish transformation was complete when his whole head changed into that like a serpent's, complete with a bright red forked tongue. The final touch to his fiend form was a pair of dull golden horns that traveled straight up and sharply jutted back, almost like an "L" shape.

The white light faded as Tidus found himself in the water. He could feel his fiend form react to everything around him, while fish flitted by a few feet above him. Tidus had to disgustingly resist the urge to snap them all up in his large fanged mouth. He peered up to see a long row of docks—he had to be in Kilika. It was his last thought before his fiendish mind took over and Tidus' mind went completely blank.

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Yes, I know the name of Yuna's mother was never mentioned in the game, so I decided to give her one—Sienna seemed to fit well enough.

I apologize if any of this chapter seemed confusing or unrealistic. I know Tidus turning into a fiend isn't exactly realistic, nor is the idea of a "dark" pyrefly, but it sounded good in my head at the time…heh. Anyway, stay tuned for the next thrilling installment of "A Grim Reunion"!

Feel free to review if it so pleases you.

However, all flames sent to me will be instantly extinguished by my buddy Shiva.

-Spiran Summoner


	3. Chapter 2

First off, I'd like to apologize to everyone for not updating for awhile. However, you know how that old equation goes… School + Homework (equals) No Free Time. Anyways, as much as I'd love to be writing, I've just been slammed by schoolwork and haven't done much fic-wise. But I know I'm just making excuses, so, enough about that.

Yes Baralai is going to show up in this chappie, and I apologize in advance if his character might seem a tad (or really in later chapters) OOC, but I need to make it that way for the plot so…sorry again. In addition, for those who didn't read the summary, this is _not_ a Yunalai fic. It might seem that way, but I don't support the pairing (and I apologize to those reading this who do).

Also, I would like to thank Sirea the Beautiful Disaster and KateF their immensely helpful reviews. Thank you!

(Takes deep breath) Well, I guess that's about it for now, I'm sorry for ranting so long…enjoy everyone!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything remotely connected to FFX or X-2 (except my Zanarkand Abes necklace…my precious…) However, I do enjoy using the characters for my own personal enjoyment, so please don't sue!

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**Chapter 2- Back to Besaid**

Tidus had no clue exactly when he was slain, but he finally knew he had when his mind began to return. Bathed in a white light, he peered at his own hands. Relieved to no longer have flippers, his stomach sank when he realized that in a matter of moments he would simply return to Spira again as a fiend. Cursing Seymour, he scowled and waited for his return to the tainted Farplane.

However, instead of returning, eight figures appeared before him. Tidus instantly recognized the figure in the center as the Fayth child Bahamut, so he naturally assumed the others were the Fayths of the other seven Aeons.

"Are you sure this is the one Bahamut? He sure doesn't look like the one who shall save our Farplane."

"He may not be our first choice, but he's all we have now. Don't forget, my brothers, he aided High Summoner Yuna in her quest to exterminate Sin forever. We should not judge him so harshly." Bahamut then turned to Tidus. "As we speak Seymour is still in control of the Farplane—and has been for the past year."

"Whoa! Wait a moment here!" Tidus interjected, confused. "I was a fiend for an entire year?" The Fayths solemnly looked at each other and nodded.

"You could not keep track of time due to your fiendish form. But that is not our dilemma here. Seymour has requested that we send him back to Spira with full consciousness—like we had planned for you. However, we all know that would spell nothing but disaster, but the spirits cannot take this much longer. Many more deceased citizens of Spira have been brought here in the last year, and we cannot allow them to continue suffering. It is our duty as Fayths to keep the spirits of the Farplane safe and to let them rest." Bahamut sighed.

"So as you can see, we are put in quite a bind here. What's worse is that the citizens of Spira have no clue this is going on, so they cannot stop the influx of new spirits to the Farplane. Even if they did, the Unsents would simply wander Spira as fiends anyway, so we cannot even fix that." The Fayth paused to rest. "But, this is where you come in Tidus. At this moment, we have gathered all of our strength together in order to bring you back to Spira—as a human. We need to warn anyone and everyone in Spira of this threat. If worse comes to worse, we may have to revive Seymour in order to rid him of the Farplane. If that does indeed happen, Spira and her people are going to need all the help they can get in order to stop him. Please Tidus…we beg you to help us save Spira!" Tidus knelt down to the child's height and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"I promise you Bahamut; we'll fight against Seymour and defeat him. …But what happens then? Won't he just come back to the Farplane then?"

"Don't worry, we Fayth have the power to destroy a spirit's pyreflies and force them to leave for good. However, we do not use it unless _absolutely_ necessary. Even to Seymour, it was our duty to give him a chance to rest. But now that we see that that will never happen, we know what we must do now. However, against his powerful "negative energy" pyreflies, even our powers are not strong enough to overcome them. Once they are gone, we can get rid of Seymour for good."

"We cannot say when the time to fight him will come, but it will come. Just send him back to us and we'll take care of the rest." Tidus rose and met the eyes of all eight Fayths. I swear to all of you I won't let you down. Have at least a little faith in me, okay?" Bahamut nodded his hooded head and returned to the line of the other Fayths. The others Fayths simply said nothing as they spread their arms wide and began to sing the Hymn of the Fayth in their eerily beautiful voices. As soon as the first note was sung, Tidus lost consciousness.

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"Alright boys, huddle up! We got a tournament to win this year, and I know we're never gonna win if we keep playing the way we are now! So get to it boys—practice until you faint if you gotta!" Wakka, captain of the Besaid Aurochs called to his teammates. He reached into a fishing net and passed out blitzballs to each of the team members.

Wakka himself grabbed a ball and began to drill with his goalie, Keepa. Keepa himself was a good blitzer, and was able to block most of Wakka's shots—except one.

"Oops, sorry Wakka. Lemme go get that." Wakka held his arm out to stop the blitz player, staring out at the sea.

"No, I will. …Hey, do you see that thing floatin' there in the water?" Keepa raised a hand to his forehead and squinted to see better.

"Well I guess so. It's kinda hard to see though, isn't it?" Wakka kicked off his sandals and dove into the beach water.

"I'm gonna go check it out. Tell the boys I'll be back in a moment."

"H-Hey! Watch it captain! It might be a fiend!" Wakka treaded water for a second to reply,

"You doubtin' my fighting skills? I helped defeat Sin three years ago ya know." Keepa simply laughed.

"And you've been using it as an excuse ever since. Just be careful, ya?" Wakka plowed through the water, swimming rapidly though it with his strong arms and legs. It wasn't until the object came into view that Wakka realized what—or who it was. Shocked and surprised, Wakka almost swallowed a gallon of water by gasping. Hoisting the unconscious Tidus onto his back, Wakka swam back to the shore and cancelled the rest of practice.

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Tidus shifted uncomfortably, rolling over to his side and moaning. He heard voices around him, unable to identify them. Somehow they seemed familiar…

"Lu! Lu! He's gettin' up!" Tidus groaned again and gradually opened an eye. Both eyes snapped open when he saw the figures of Lulu and Wakka hovering over him.

"…Wakka? Lulu?" he asked uncertainly, not sure whether this was real or some sort of odd dream.

"You up brudda? You sure gave us a scare floatin in the ocean like that…" Lulu frowned and looked down at the purple carpet beneath her.

"It just so hard to believe…that you're back. You just popped up out of nowhere, didn't you?" She shook her head gently, her beaded hair clicking lightly, "It's just like that day three years ago, isn't it? Its funny how history seems to repeat itself." Tidus moved into a sitting position and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Guess I did. Sorry if I startled you…but I'm back now so everything's okay again right?" Wakka grinned and trapped Tidus into his traditional headlock.

"Well everything's gonna be alright for the Aurochs now that you're back! With you back now, we'll be sure to take Cup home!" Tidus smiled, relived that nothing had changed since the last time he had been to Spira. He playfully pushed Wakka off him and asked,

"Speaking of coming back…where's Yuna? Heh…I guess I owe her an explanation…don't I?" Lulu and Wakka exchanged uneasy glances.

"Sorry brudda. When you promised to come back a year ago, and you didn't…it shook her up pretty badly. But you're welcome to come see her—she's helping us watch Vidina today." Tidus' raised an eyebrow.

"Vidina? Who's Vidina?"

"You'll see." Lulu replied in an amused tone, striding out of the tent. Wakka slapped him on the back and motioned for Tidus to follow.

As Tidus followed Lulu and Wakka up the stairs to the temple, Tidus found his heart thumping wildly in his chest. How would Yuna react to his return? Would she be upset that he never returned a year before or would she just be so elated she would be willing to forgive him? Despite having no control over the matter, guilt racked though every part of Tidus for not being able to be there for Yuna, especially when she needed him most. Lulu pushed open the large stone doors and traveled into the poorly lit grand room and cautiously followed Lulu and Wakka into one of the tiny rooms toward the back.

There, sitting on a cushion in the back of the room was Yuna, cradling a small child. Tidus didn't even recognize her at first, but her green-blue eyes did not lie. To Tidus, her slightly revealing clothing was a quite a large (and, he guiltily admitted, welcome) change. Tidus stepped forward carefully while Lulu seized the child from Yuna's arms. Tidus could tell that Yuna too was questioning in her mind whether or not this was all happening. Time froze for an eternity, each one of them studying the other, barely believing that this was truly happening. However, Yuna was the first to speak.

"Is…is that you? …Tidus, is it really you?" Emotions surged though the young blitzer like a storm. He no longer wanted to speak, but to simply take Yuna into his arms and apologize over and over again for ever leaving her. However, his fantasies were cut short by an opening of the door while a young man in Yevonite robes came into the room. Yuna's ears perked up and turned her head away from the blonde blitzer.

The young man's hair stood out first to Tidus, shining silver despite clearly being at a young age. A navy headband was wrapped around his tan-skinned head. He wore a green and orange robe, with symbols of Yevon dotting it on the chest. Traces of blue and yellow could be found around the sleeves.

"Oh you're having company Yuna? Pardon me, I should have knocked." Yuna shook her head and stood to greet him.

"No Baralai, Lulu and Wakka were just coming here to pick up Vidina, that's all." The young man named Baralai quickly glanced around as his eyes landed on Tidus. Tidus' eyes involuntarily narrowed at the young man, already disliking him.

"And who might this be? You certainly don't look like you're from around here." Tidus gritted his teeth at the Yevonite's proper tone of voice.

"That's because I'm not. The name's Tidus, so make sure you don't forget it." Baralai flinched at Tidus' rough tone, but chose to ignore him.

"Pardon me Yuna, but is your cousin Rikku here yet? The meeting in Bevelle begins tomorrow and I cannot afford to be late."

"She's here, don't worry. Go finish packing—I have to say hello." Baralai nodded and strode over to Yuna, lightly pecking her on the cheek.

"Very well then, I'll meet you there soon." And without another word, Baralai gracefully left the room, his eyes settling on Tidus one more time before he was completely gone.

Tidus stared at Yuna in utter confusion. Just who was this guy—and what was his relationship to Yuna? On the bright side, he was relived to hear that Rikku was here. Thinking of the hyper Al-Bhed almost like his little sister, he knew he could count on her to straighten everything out. Tidus calmed slightly, figuring everything was just a simple mistake. Yuna, feeling uneasy under Tidus' penetrating gaze, mumbled an apology and left the room. Tidus watched her go and sighed, flopping down on a cushion.

"Well…that went well, didn't it?" Tidus ran a hand through his shaggy golden locks and rose to go follow the former summoner.

"Hey wait! Aren't you gonna say hello?" Wakka asked. Tidus cocked his head slightly.

"Say hello? To who?" Wakka turned to Lulu and lifted the small child from her arms, standing next to Tidus. His eyes danced with pride as he looked down on his son.

"He's cute, ya? Looks just like me."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on there Wakka. You have a son?"

"Sure I do. His name's Vidina. You wanna hold him?" Tidus took an anxious step back.

"Ahh…I think I'll pass. I don't exactly do kids." Wakka chuckled and held out Vidina, laughing internally watching Tidus' uneasy expression while he accepted the child.

"Wakka, I'm gonna drop him…" Wakka just chuckled again.

"No you're not—see? You're doin' just fine brudda." After growing accustomed to the small child in his arms, Tidus calmed down. He peered down at the tiny thing, with tiny fingers and tiny toes. He smiled slightly while Vidina gurgled something nonsensical, staring up at him with his small eyes.

"So Wakka…if you're the father…" Tidus curiously asked, shifting the child's weight in his arms.

"I'm the mother." Lulu shot him a cautionary glare, warning him not to say a word. "And I don't want to hear any of your comments either."

"I didn't say anything!" Tidus shot back, shaking his head. Even though Lulu was still the same Lulu, he could definitely see some minor changes at least—her tone had become much less sarcastic and cold, and Tidus could even swear he could see some of the edge and pain gone from her crimson eyes. He had once heard that having a child changes everything, but he had never thought it to be true. However, if having a child could change someone like Lulu, Tidus knew it had to be right. Handing Vidina back to Lulu, he approached the door and waved back to Wakka and Lulu.

"I'm gonna go to the beach and see if I can catch Rikku. I'll come and meet you guys later!" Without another word, Tidus jogged out of the temple and down to the beach, hoping to find some sign of the airship. By the time he had reached the edge of the island's tiny jungle, he could see the giant hulking scarlet machina parked at the shore, barely touching the coast. As he got closer, he peered around to see if there were any signs of Yuna or Baralai. He was about to give up when something crashed into his side, clinging onto it for dear life.

"Tidus! You're back! You're back! You're back!" The blonde blitzer peered down to see Rikku peering up at him with her spiraled emerald eyes. She leapt off him and began to walk in circles around him, surveying him.

"Hmm…are you sure you're back? Are you gonna disappear again?" Rikku scratched her chin in thought. "Or maybe I'm hallucinating! That might be a possibility..."

"You're not hallucinating Rikku." Tidus groaned at the young girl's farfetched idea.

"Well I shouldn't be listening to _you_ right? I mean, if I'm hallucinating, then my hallucination isn't going to be telling me the truth is it?" Rikku's face scrunched up in utter confusion. "But maybe I _should_ be listening to you…maybe this is some kind of prophetic dream! Like you've come back from the dead to warn us about some sort disaster! Are we all gonna die? Huh, huh?" Tidus shook his head, amazed at how Rikku could be right and wrong at the same time.

"I don't know about that last part, I assure you I'm 100 authentic…well…I hope so at least. But I know I don't plan on leaving anytime soon." Rikku returned in front of him, facing him.

"Hmm…I still need to make sure you're not all ghosty here…" Rikku's face brightened as she stepped in front of him and slapped him upside the head. Tidus yelped and rubbed his throbbing head.

"Ow hey! What was that for?" Rikku nodded in satisfaction.

"That proves it then, you're real enough for now. C'mon, we still got a couple minutes before Yuna and Baralai show up—I'll catch ya up on everything that's been going on here. Come on!" Tidus watched as Rikku cheerily darted down the beach and boarded the airship. Tidus stared up at the remodeled beast in wonder and hesitantly followed after her. The pair made their way to the elevator and hopped off at the cabin. Tidus gazed around in awe at the large sleeping/dining area. He was even more awed at the sight of an azure hypello at the counter.

"Two lunches please Barkeep! We're starving!"

"Ahh…better make that three lunches. Three years without food can make you a little hungry." Tidus joked.

"Ish not a problem." The hypello responded, setting off to work. Rikku sighed to herself, thinking.

"Three years huh…it's been such a long time…" Tidus nodded in agreement.

"I know. What's worse is that I'm burdened with this guilt for leaving Yuna…I didn't want to leave her—you think if I had a choice, I would have? But it was her life or mine…so I chose mine." Rikku placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I know, and it's not your fault. It's just that…well…" Rikku sighed glumly. "You're kind of late." Tidus stared at her questioningly, urging her to continue. "Well…ahh…I don't know if you've met the guy yet but…Baralai is kinda…well he's…"

"Spit it out Rikku! Who is Baralai?" Rikku shook her head in frustration. She inhaled deeply to calm herself and replied,

"Baralai is Yuna's fiancée." At that very second, that moment when the word "fiancée" left Rikku's mouth, Tidus' heart stopped beating. His chest clenched and his stomach rose up to his throat and lodged itself there. He no longer had an appetite.

'_How…? How could this happen…? It's not…it's not possible!'_ After Tidus had not spoken for a long while, Rikku solemnly continued,

"I mean, it was only official a month or so ago…but Baralai has been around here a while. He's the Praetor of New Yevon. It's kinda like the old Yevon, but I still think they're up to no good…" Tidus wasn't even listening. The new words that Rikku spit out meant nothing to Tidus—his mind was only focusing on that one word… 'fiancée'.

"Well, you see…after Vegnagun fell, the three main groups of Spira began to hold weekly meetings in Bevelle, to better unite Spira. The Youth League, New Yevon, and the Machine Faction all took part in them. The people of Spira were finally glad to have their world restored to some order—especially after all the fighting between the three factions. After a few meetings, Baralai proposed to Yuna, saying that it could unite Spira even further, and that it would be both a celebration of their love and one that finally signified that Spira was finally back to normal. Yuna was hesitant at first, but she accepted quicker than I thought she would. Heck, I didn't even think she was going to accept!" Rikku inhaled deeply and continued,

"Anyway, about a year ago the base that the Youth League was building in Kilika was destroyed—due to a fiend attack. No one knows exactly what happened, but the base and most of Kilika was totaled. Man that village has the worst luck huh? Moving along, Nooj stopped going to the meetings to help rebuild Kilika and sent one of the Youth League captains to substitute as a representative for the Youth League organization." Rikku then shuddered, "I wouldn't go messing around with that guy if I were you…they say he's one of the toughest men you'll ever meet. Apparently he used to be a captain back when the Crusaders were still around." Rikku exhaled glumly. "So…that's about it I guess. For now at least…" Tidus managed to glance at her and mumble,

"You know none of that meant anything to me." Rikku seemed confused for a moment, but then the thought hit her.

"Right…you weren't here when all of that happened huh?" Rikku's face lit up as a thought occurred to her. She jogged up the stairs to where three beds laid neatly in a row. Rikku hurled herself under one of them and began to throw items around frantically, digging like a machina in Bikanel. She was still loudly rummaging under the middle bed before the cool voice of Baralai echoed from the elevator,

"Are you there Rikku? I would like to leave soon if possible." Rikku yelped in shock and banged her head against the bottom of the bed. Tidus grinned slightly as she yelped again in pain. However, it was soon followed by a cheer of triumph as she came out with a shining blue sphere in her hands. The elevator doors began to open as Rikku gasped in fright and pitched the sphere down to Tidus. Tidus leapt out of his seat just in time to grab it.

"Hide it quick! Everything will make sense once you watch it! Meet me back here tonight—I'll be back by then and we can discuss this further!" Tidus quickly stashed the item in his pocket just as the elevator doors cam to a full stop.

"Just thought I'd have a quick lunch before I left. Sorry about the wait, let's go now hmm?" Rikku suggested hurriedly. Baralai examined her calculatingly before replying,

"Oh very well. I'll see you in a few days love." Baralai said curtly, pecking Yuna on the lips and following Rikku out onto the elevator. Tidus tore his gaze away from the sickening display and watched Baralai leave, silently swearing at him as he went. When the iron doors shut, only Tidus and Yuna were left. Tidus could only find himself staring at her, cursing himself for losing her.

"Yuna look…"

"You know, I should be going…" she said flightily, cutting him off. She began to head towards the elevator, but Tidus quickly seized her hand to stop her. She whirled around, stunned at the sudden action.

"Listen to me! I'm never going to forgive myself if you can't find it in your heart to forgive me. I didn't leave on purpose—I didn't fail to show up a year ago on purpose. You have to understand that I had no choice in the matter! If I had any option at all, you know I would have come straight back to you, right?" Yuna looked away nervously. Tidus could tell she was in no mood to answer, so he regretfully released her hand. After taking one last long glance at him, she strode over to the elevator and disappeared from sight.

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Feel free to review if it so pleases you. However, all flames sent to me will be instantly extinguished by my buddy Shiva.

-Spiran Summoner


	4. Chapter 3

Ugh…I'm not even going to attempt to justify my lateness this time—please try to avoid the terribly written parts and grammatical errors—partially because I really wanted to write this despite it being midnight. Try to enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything remotely connected to FFX or X-2 (except my Zanarkand Abes necklace) However, I do enjoy using the characters for my own personal enjoyment, so please don't sue!

**Chapter 3- The Meeting**

After watching Rikku and Baralai leave for Bevelle, Tidus hunted around for a quiet place where he could watch the sphere in peace. Tidus felt the heavy item in his pocket while he wondered to himself what in the world it contained.

'_Rikku said this should explain everything that's happened so far. I wonder how much I've missed—three years sure is a long time to be gone…' _

Tidus soon found himself wandering in the small patch of jungle leading up to the village. Figuring this was as good a place as any, Tidus slightly strayed from the path and nestled himself in-between two large palm trees, shielding him from the hot island sun. A small gust whispered through the trees, gently ruffling his hair. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out the azure sphere. He stared at it in quiet wonder as a few of the sun's rays glinted off of it. Tidus carefully set it down on the ground and turned it on, eager to see exactly what it contained.

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It took most of the day to finish the long sphere, the sun was almost preparing to set, the temperature slightly beginning to lower. He was very interested to see what Yuna and the others had been up to in the last three years, though the sphere only covered two of them—from his leave to the fall of the great machina, Vegnagun. It was quite the journey, filled with both happiness and sadness, pain and joy. Tidus was still in awe at how calm Yuna could stay under pressure. He absorbed everything the sphere showed him, from the battle between the three factions of Spira, to the odd story of Lenne and Shuyin.

Tidus was amazed at how alike he looked to him, but decided not to dwell too much on it—Shuyin was resting now and there was no need to disturb him. He then thought of the Farplane, and the two fated lovers. They had waited 1000 years to rest and now…they were probably suffering, due to Seymour's psychotic plan. Anger flushed his face, and had to take a moment to regain his train of thought.

He was insulted a number of times whenever the subject of marriage was brought up. He knew it had been two long years from that date, but he still felt a surge of rage and jealousy pass through his body every time the notion of marriage came up. Rikku was right however, he had been too late, and now…Yuna was going to marry some leader of New Yevon. After watching the sphere, Tidus grudgingly admitted he had no real reason not to trust Baralai, but something about him just didn't sit right with Tidus. He shrugged it off, assuming it was the jealousy, not him, talking. Tidus sighed. And Yuna… The sphere had originally been meant for him, for his return, whenever that was. Yuna's voice from the sphere still echoed inside his head…

'_It all began when I saw this sphere of you. At least, it looked like you. I couldn't say for sure…'_

'_We travel from place to place, and the days just seem to fly by. But sometimes I find myself stopping... I'm listening for your whistle.'_

'_Is it you? Or does he just look like you?'_

'_Why is this happening? I wish you were here with me…'_

Tidus' thoughts were cut short to the sound of a loud whirring engine. He stuffed the item back in his pocket and got up, dusting himself off. He traveled back onto the main path and saw a large crimson airship in the distance. Rikku had finally come back, and Tidus was eager to catch up on everything—now that he had all the background information. He got back on the main path and began to jog toward the beach as the sun set behind him.

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Tidus gladly accepted a mug of tea from Rikku as the two of them sat down at the cabin bar. He lightly blew over the top of it to cool it down, while he watched the steam dance away from his breath.

"So…did you watch it?" Rikku curiously asked. Tidus took a slow sip and nodded. "I hope it helped some…technically you're not even supposed to have it, Yunie never showed it to anyone—not even me. But you know me, I'm a thief! I have…ways of finding stuff like that."

"Thank you Rikku, it helped a lot." Tidus took a longer sip and continued, "So let me get this straight…Baralai's in Bevelle now meeting with Gippal and the new Youth League representative?"

"Yup. There's just something about him I don't like…Krael I think his name was. People really don't call him by his name though—they just call him 'The General'. That alone should set some alarms off in people's heads." Tidus only gave a slight nod of his head to show that he was listening and stared down into his mug, as if it held some sort of answer to his problems.

"And the date?" Rikku cocked her head curiously.

"Date? Date for what?"

"The wedding. When is it?"

"Oh that. Baralai said he wanted to make sure all was right with Spira before setting an official date. Once he was satisfied with the way Spira was running, their wedding would be the celebration to mark the rebirth of Spira…or something like that, I really wasn't paying attention to him." Rikku then sighed gloomily. Tidus looked up to see the look of doubt cast over her face—something rare, even for Rikku.

"You okay Rikku?" She chewed on her bottom lip and began,

"Its just that…I don't have much faith that Spira will be able to pull itself together—not with the leaders we have now. With Baralai and Krael running the show, I just…don't have much faith in them, that's all." Tidus listened, interested.

"But isn't Gippal there too? He sounded like a good guy to me."

"He is, I know he is. But…things haven't been going good at the meetings for the Machine Faction, that's what he says. The meetings aren't meetings, he told me, its just one long conversation between Baralai and Krael. Gippal's lucky if he gets to speak up once or twice during the meeting—and he's getting really fed up with it." She sighed and finished, "I'm just…scared."

"Scared?"

"Yeah…scared. It's just that we've been though so much you know? The Al-Bhed's I mean. Just when we're starting to be accepted by Spira and everyone else, I'm afraid Krael and Baralai are going to destroy it. I mean, if they persecute Gippal at meetings…what's next? I just wish everything were clearer…" Tidus frowned and continued to stare down at his mug.

"Me too Rikku. Me too." However, perhaps what Tidus admired about the most about Rikku was that she never stayed upset long.

"So…do you remember anything about the Farplane? What was it like? I mean, Al-Bhed's don't usually go down there, but what was it like being a spirit?" She placed a finger on her chin in thought. "Did you see Shuyin and Lenne? Huh?" Tidus chuckled.

"Whoa there, one question at a time." Tidus silently groaned and figured now would be the best time to tell her about the crisis of the Farplane. The Fayth told him to act fast, and Tidus didn't figure they had much time anyway until Seymour would be resurrected into a physical form. "Well actually Rikku…"

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Tidus explained the story as well as he possibly could, though the idea still seemed a little farfetched, even to him. Rikku listened quietly in awe for the most part, occasionally gasping or stopping him to ask an occasional question. By the time he was done, Rikku's face was a cross between disbelief and anger.

"It's not fair! Spira's finally pulling itself together and then Seymour has to come along and ruin it! Typical…it figures, doesn't it?"

"Well you can't really say we weren't expecting this. Did you really believe Seymour would be at peace after we destroyed his plans and sent him to the Farplane?"

"No…I guess you're right." Rikku sighed glumly. "So…what can we do?"

"I was hoping you'd be able to think of something. I'm really not the brains of these kinds of things…just the brawn." Rikku laughed and nodded her head in agreement. She rose out of her seat and began to pace back and forth, her steps increasing in speed every few moments. After fearing she would wear a hole in the floor, Tidus inquired,

"Any ideas?" Rikku turned back to him and plopped back down in her seat.

"Well…I think the best thing to do would be to gather everyone here and talk about our options. After all, a bunch of heads is better than just our two."

"Sounds like a plan. I'll be back soon!" Tidus thanked her for the tea and sprinted out onto the beach and toward the village.

It didn't take long at all to round up everyone: Wakka, Lulu (who had brought along a sound-asleep Vindina), Paine and Yuna. Paine however, was the most difficult to find, hiding out in one of the jungle trees. To be blunt, he was slightly afraid of talking to the stoic warrior after watching Yuna's sphere, but she wasn't as bad as she looked. When he came to get her, she simply looked him up and down, shook her head and followed him back to the airship.

They had decided to meet on the deck, and Tidus was grateful for the cool night air. However, he looked toward the sky in dismay to see a vast amount of clouds congesting the sky. It was unusual for it to be so bleak in Besaid, and Tidus wondered whether there was a possibility of a storm approaching. He shrugged the thought off and approached the five of them, mentally running over what he wanted to say.

"Well, I suppose you're all wondering why I wanted you here tonight. To put it shortly, the Farplane is in trouble—much more trouble than it's ever been in before. Fiend attacks have become more and more common, I'm sure, and we have only one person to thank for that—Seymour. He corrupted the Farplane and is now preparing to come back here in a new body. I only know this because I was there myself, and now it's up to us to stop him. I know this isn't the best news to be hearing, but it's the truth, and something has to be done about it." Tidus scanned over them while the five of them murmured among themselves in quiet awe. Tidus took a seat beside Yuna and Paine and began to go into deeper detail.

After Tidus had finished, a long pause of silence enshrouded the deck, the only noise was the faint rumble of the heavens above. Tidus inwardly groaned, surely there was going to be a storm soon.

"So…you sure he's back, ya? I believe you brudda, I do. It's just...so hard to believe…" Wakka started, rubbing his stubbly chin.

"I hate to agree in this situation, but I have to. Are you sure that's what you saw?" Lulu asked.

"I'm certain." Tidus confirmed. "I wouldn't joke around about something this serious."

"Then we should think of something fast. The sooner we get rid of Seymour, the faster we can get Spira back to normal." Paine commented in her usual monotone voice, "Though this does answer some of the questions Spira has had lately. Fiend attacks have become more rampant lately, and the weather and wildlife are starting to feel some of it too. Chances are the darkened pyreflies have something to do with it. Even the Youth League base that was supposed to be finished in Kilika was demolished by some sort of monstrous aquatic fiend. If these fiends get any tougher to kill, they might even get close to rivaling…"

"Don't say it." Yuna glared at Paine, but quickly shot her and apologetic glance. "I…we can't say that yet. Yes the fiends are bad, but no fiend will ever be as much as a menace as Sin was to us. Don't compare them to Sin just yet." Lulu's face straightened, as if in deep thought while gently rocking the sleeping child in her arms.

"Yuna—didn't you say something about holes in the old Fayth caverns? Holes that lead to the Farplane?" As soon as Lulu finished, Rikku's face brightened.

"Yeah! We could go down there ourselves and deal with Seymour before he even got a chance to come back!" Tidus frowned and shook his head.

"No can do. You'd all be consumed by the corrupt pyreflies the moment you got down there. I don't want you all turning into fiends on me." Rikku huffed and crossed her arms in disappointment.

"Besides, the Fayth Chambers have been ordered off limits by the three leaders in Bevelle. It's too dangerous." Yuna reminded them.

"They've been ordered off limits?" Tidus inquired curiously. Yuna nodded.

"It was passed awhile ago. The public is allowed to enter the temples to pray, but no further—the Cloyster of Trials was closed off about a year ago." Tidus scowled, not liking the idea. Sure, there wouldn't be a reason for the public to go into the Trials, but the idea of it being completely sealed off didn't sit right with him either.

"If there's nothing we can do about it now, we could just ask Baralai." Paine suggested.

"Ask Baralai?"

"Sure!" Yuna brightened, wondering why the idea hadn't come to her sooner, "We'll just ask Baralai and Krael to help. I'm sure Krael would be more than willing to prepare any number of soldiers we need. If there's going to be a big battle, a little extra support wouldn't hurt. Plus Gippal could lend us some machines to make things easier. And Baralai could help us warn Spira—we might need to evacuate some of the cities as well, and we'd be sure to let them know so there won't be mass chaos. Baralai could help with anything else we need really—until then we'll just have to wait." Though Tidus wasn't keen on asking Baralai to help, he had to admit it was the only idea they could come up with at the moment. Tidus hated waiting around like a sitting chocobo, but it really was the only option they had.

"Alright!" Rikku cheered, "We'll ask Baralai for help as soon as he comes back—then we'll really be able to get a plan in motion. Don't worry about it until then guys—just go and get some sleep!" All six of them looked amongst each other, and rose to leave when an odd thumping noise struck the airship. Peering around to see nothing but total darkness, all of them jumped to their feet. Rikku scowled and opened the deck, shouting as loud as she could,

"Brother! Fryd ec fnuhk?"

"E tuh'd ghuf. E's lralgehk dra ahkeha huf--oui lusa yht ramb duu." Came his reply. Rikku groaned and turned to them.

"He doesn't know, but he's going to look at the engine now—and wants me to help." She sauntered away, grumbling something that sounded like she was mimicking Brother irately. As Tidus watched her go, he plopped down on the edge of the deck, attempting in vain to peer through the darkness. For an instant, he thought he saw a strange glowing light, but he assumed it was something to help Brother and Rikku see the engine better.

However, he was about to be proven wrong. A series of ominous glowing lights appeared, followed by a series of horrifying screams.

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Fryd ec fnuhk- What is wrong?

E tuh'd ghuf. E's lralgehk dra ahkeha huf--oui lusa yht ramb duu.- I don't know. I'm checking the engine now--you come and help too.

I apologize yet again for the suckiness—it'll get better! Soon…I hope…

Feel free to review if it so pleases you.

However, all flames sent to me will be instantly extinguished by my buddy Shiva.

-Spiran Summoner


	5. Chapter 4

Ugh...as usual, I apologize for the wait. Sorry!

I also apologize in advance for any typos---I do SpellCheck, but I do have a habit of missing tiny things, so if you catch anything don't mind it...heh...

Disclaimer: I do not own anything remotely connected to FFX or X-2 (except my Zanarkand Abes necklace) However, I do enjoy using the characters for my own personal enjoyment, so please don't sue!

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**Chapter 4- Under Attack**

Before anyone could react to the screams below them, the deck of the Celsius was already swarmed. Before them was a single flame, burning dimly inside some strange type of fiend. About waist-high, its form was almost impossible to see due to the darkened sky above. It was covered from head to toe in slick black scales, and stood hunched on four legs. An ebony mane stood up on its neck, its bristled hair just like Brother's mohawk. Attached to each of its four paws were three razor-sharp claws, glinting a malicious silver. A long sinuous tail sprouted from its backside, occasionally twitching in the air. A pair of smoldering yellow eyes stared emotionlessly back at the group.

However, perhaps the oddest thing about this new breed of fiend was the strange flame that burned inside it. It was barely visible through the fiend's chest, glowing, flickering where its heart should have been. Even stranger, the fiend almost appeared to be hollow, with four holes on its body, one on each leg of its body. Every so often, a tiny burst of flames would shoot out from the holes, startling whoever was near.

The fiend let out an odd clicking sort of growl and slinked toward them, moving like a shadow across the deck. Lulu was the first to react, quickly passing Vidina to Wakka and stepping in front of the rest of them. She raised her arms in a spell and bellowed,

"Water!" A tidal wave crashed over the fiend, extinguishing the fire while it howled in agony, bursting into pyreflies. However, as soon as they all let out a sigh of relief, five more were already prowling onto the ship, sneaking closer and closer. Yuna and Paine hopped into action, Paine slicing two promptly down the middle while Yuna unleashed a flurry of bullets onto the remaining three, all falling to the ground crippled and wailing.

In the distance, Tidus could hear fighting below, no doubt Rikku and Brother encountering the same problems they were.

"We have to go help! Come on!" he called, preparing to jump when he suddenly stopped. It suddenly occurred to him that he had no weapon to fight with. Feeling slightly embarrassed, he barely even noticed when Yuna changed clothing, into a slightly less revealing set of leather clothing.

However, what truly interested him was the fact that she was holding his old sword, the Brotherhood, in her hands. "Yuna? Is that…" She tossed it to him and nodded before changing back into her old clothes and jumping off the deck. Lulu and Paine followed suit, Wakka heading back into the airship to leave Vidina with Buddy and the rest of the crew for safety. With his old sword comfortably resting in his hands again, he leapt off, itching for a fight.

The fighting had already commenced below, a sea of flickering lights before him. Tidus was astonished at the sheer number of them all, but had no time to think. They barreled toward him out of nowhere, practically throwing themselves at his blade. His sword skills had become rusty over the years and had trouble dealing with the first group. They hit him like a wave, pouncing from all directions. It took him awhile before he could control his blade once again.

Out of the night, two leapt from their hiding places, pinning him to the ground. They angrily gnashed their teeth, while Tidus could practically feel the fire emanating from their bodies. Their sharp steel claws punctured his side, going right through his clothing. He tried to wrestle free from their grasp, but they did not let up, their furious yellow eyes narrowing in a strange sort of pleasure.

Before he could realize what was going on, he could hear a series of shots being fired toward him, the two fiends instantly exploding into pyreflies. Yuna quickly offered him a hand to help him up and returned to fighting the fiends that had accumulated around them. Tidus shook his head to clear it—it was odd, Yuna protecting him. It had always been the other way around. Not that he didn't mind, he was happy to see that she had become so free, so independent. Though, Tidus slightly grinned to himself, no matter what happened in the time he had been gone, he was still her Guardian. And that meant he would do whatever it took to protect her.

It was strange, at that moment while fighting those fiends—it was if their attacks had merged into one. They worked as one, watching each others back while relentless waves of flame fiends attacked them. From that moment, the fiends simply seemed to fall before them with almost no effort at all.

And then, it was oddly quiet. The siege seemed to stop, and nothing but the crashing waves in the background could be heard. Everyone seemed to look around, wondering if the fighting was truly over. However, their hopes were about to be stomped on, for all of a sudden Wakka bellowed,

"The village!!" All seven pairs of eyes followed where Wakka was pointing to—sure enough there was an odd billow of smoke rising from it. Tidus gasped. It was on fire! Wakka and Lulu immediately took off, running toward the village as fast as they could. Yuna looked ready to follow, but as soon as she tore her eyes away from the swelling smoke, another group of fiends lunged out of the night, assaulting the remaining five on the beach.

"Argh! Is this ever going to end?" Tidus growled in frustration, slicing though another pair of fiends.

"Don't just stand there! Go help Wakka and Lulu!" Tidus was almost certain the voice belonged to Rikku, but he didn't dare look, or else be assaulted by fiends.

"Will you guys be okay?" Yuna asked.

"Just go!" Paine bellowed. Yuna looked at Tidus hesitantly. He gave her a short nod and the two of them took off before another set of fiends could attack them. They took the path through the jungle, darting through it as fast as they could possibly go. Tidus stumbled slightly and managed to pick himself up. However, his adrenaline only pumped harder when he heard the fiends behind him, moving almost noiselessly like a ghost. He glanced behind him to see countless numbers of ominous yellow eyes staring back, thirsting for blood. Tidus gulped and ran all the faster, determined to reach the village before it burned to the ground.

The two of them barreled through the jungle, blindly tearing through overhanging tree limbs and vines as they went. Tidus could hear Yuna's heavy panting alongside him, already exhausted from the tiring chase. Tidus himself felt ready to give up, his heart thumping so loudly in his chest he thought it would explode in a matter of moments. His legs had already gone numb, and were nothing but two pieces of lead beneath him. And yet, the simple urge to survive drove him on, afraid of his fate if he slowed.

Soon enough, the jungle began to thin as they approached the series of waterfalls that dotted the side of the island. Panic-stricken, the two sped past the waterfalls, only to hear the sound of wailing fiends behind them. Light flecks of water sprayed them as they passed. Tidus turned to see some of the fiery fiends stray away from the waterfall, clicking and hissing loudly.

"Are they afraid of the water?" Yuna asked curiously. Tidus chuckled and waved at them from the other side of the path behind the waterfall.

"Haha! Stupid fiends—good riddance." However, their celebration was about to end shortly. One of the fiends timidly approached the waterfall, fire spurting from its legs. It clicked angrily and darted across the path fearlessly. Once the others were assured the path was safe, they too began to pass. Tidus and Yuna looked at each other in panic and began to run again wearily, urging their legs to keep moving.

Overhead the thunder began to rumble louder, increasing in volume by the second. Clouds draped the night sky, shielding the moon and stars. In the distance, a white-hot bolt of lightning ripped through the sky while a small drizzle fell gently from the sky.

Yuna approached the first bridge before Tidus, sprinting as fast as she could go. However, the due to the waterfall alongside the bridge, and the light drizzle overhead, it had become slick with water. In one false slip, Yuna lost her balance and tumbled over the railing.

"Yuna!!!" Tidus took a head-long dive and managed to snag her hand just in time, using his other to grasp the bridge for balance. He grinned at her in sheer joy. "Are you alright?" Yuna instantly replied,

"Tidus look out!!" Tidus' grip held strong, but he checked over his shoulder to see the flock of fiends that were pursuing them—closing in fast. He checked his other side, and sure enough, another wave of eerie fire fiends was coming from the opposite direction. Tidus gulped and shook his head.

"This can't be happening…" He glanced at Yuna for strength and closed his eyes, preparing for the blow.

It came almost immediately, while he could feel flaming hot pain engulf his entire body. Jagged claws and teeth ripped into his body, shredding his clothes and skin. He could feel their heat, their weight all pressing down upon him. He was certain that at least five or six of the irritating beasts were presently on his body, assaulting him from the shoulders to the legs. He cried out in pain and agony, but still refused to let go of Yuna. He let go of the bridge and groped for her wrist for extra security. He tried to hold on and endure the pain, but he—the both of them knew he couldn't hold on for long.

"Tidus…let go of me." She called to him in the midst of another cry of pain. He opened one azure eye and peered at her. "Do it." She commanded. He looked down in shame and replied,

"Please…forgive me Yuna." The moment he let go of her hand, he instantly felt a sense of dread and failure. He had failed her as her Guardian. He shook his head, refusing to accept the fact. He was going to save her. He wrestled free from the fiend's painful clutches and followed after her, determined not to slip up this time around.

He could only see a slight part of what happened next—it happened in a great blur so much so that he scarcely knew what was going on. Tidus watched in horror as Yuna fell to a craggy outcropping below, whacking her head on the hard rock while she fell. Tidus continued to plummet at an extraordinary rate, and was blessed enough to snag her hand for a second time before she could fall, while barely grasping the outcropping with the other hand. The sight of her blood made him panic and feel vehemently sick to his stomach, but all the while managed to pull himself and Yuna up onto the outcropping.

Tidus sat down, exhausted, bringing an unconscious Yuna closer to his chest. He gently cradled her body in sorrow while the clouds rumbled again overhead. The rain soon became much more than a drizzle, flooding from the heavens into a downpour. The tempest continued to grow in volume, pattering deafeningly on the bridge above them. He winced at her blood that now leaked onto his palm while he softly brushed her wet bangs out of her face.

However, through the clouds and the storm, a ray of hope appeared. Over the thundering storm, Tidus could just barely hear the wail of the fire fiends above. He watched in glee and awe as a great sea of pyreflies burst out from on the bridge, moaning and floating away. Tidus could barely see other groups of pyreflies flit up above the island in the distance—and rejoiced in the fact that he was now certain all of them were finally gone. He let out a small sigh of relief also, knowing now that the blaze in the village would surely be smothered due to the storm.

He would have been ecstatic at that moment, if he was not stuck on a craggy piece of rock, Yuna lifeless in his arms. He knew he had to get her to the village and help her before it was too late. _No_, Tidus thought, _I can't think about that now. I have to help her!_

Tidus, hoisting Yuna onto his back, peered around for a way off the scrap of land. A few feet above him, a branch grew from the rock which eventually lead back up to the path. Already exhausted and carrying extra weight, he debated whether or not he could do it, but he knew he had no choice—there was no other way. Carefully shifting Yuna's weight into a comfortable spot, he used a small rock beside him as a boost and groped for the branch above him. Twice he attempted to grab the branch to no avail, but finally succeeded on the third try. Using whatever little arm strength he had left, he pulled himself up, using the rock wall to help. Securing Yuna safely, Tidus managed to find a small jagged handhold above him to use. Pulling himself up further, he avoided the dizziness and fatigue that plagued him and reached for the edge of the cliff above him.

In sheer joy he rolled onto the path safely, setting Yuna down and opening his mouth wide, savoring the raindrops that fell into it. Though he could barely stand, he scooped Yuna up and continued to trudge along to the village reveling in the fact he knew it was not far.

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When he finally reached the village soaking from head to toe, Tidus was shocked to see what had become of the village. While few huts came out totally unscathed, others were not as lucky. Only black ash remained in a few spots where Tidus was certain huts were or were supposed to be. The temple, though the largest structure on the island, did not come out totally unharmed either. The structure was still standing, but the roof had totally collapsed, leaving a great gaping hole where the roof should have been. Lulu emerged from her still-standing hut to greet him. However, as she came closer, her face changed from slight relief to terror.

"What happened?" she asked, her usually calm voice giving away a trace of fear. Tidus could only shake his head and croak,

"Cliff…bridge…needs help…" Lulu looked at him with concern and pointed to the old Crusader tent.

"Go take her there. She'll be okay, don't worry." He took a few more trembling steps before Wakka emerged from the tent, shocked.

"Yevon what happened here?!? What happened to you? You look like you're gonna pass out brudda!" He outstretched his arms, "Lemme get her." The protective side of Tidus, added with his incredible fatigue and exhaustion made him slightly snap at Wakka,

"No. I got her." However, Wakka glanced at him and understood, opening the flap of the tent for him as he passed through. He gradually made it to the last bed and set Yuna down upon it, tearing off a piece of his already tattered pants. With utmost care, he wrapped it around her head and tied it in the front to help put pressure on it.

Knowing there was absolutely nothing left he could do; he flopped down onto the bed alongside her and instantly fell asleep.

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Feel free to review if it so pleases you.

However, all flames sent to me will be instantly extinguished by my buddy Shiva.

-Spiran Summoner


End file.
